


Some Things Don't Change

by Listentothelittlebird



Series: Code Bat [28]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Bruce is the kid, Fluff, Gen, Identity Reveal, Tim is not used to children, Wally is very done with everyone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28582248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Listentothelittlebird/pseuds/Listentothelittlebird
Summary: Dick gets called to the watchtower through a vague message from Superman. He... is not prepared to find his mentor as a child.(Featuring Wally and Bart visiting the Batcave, and Tim and Bruce fluff)
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne & Tim Drake, Dick Grayson & Wally West, Tim Drake & Bart Allen
Series: Code Bat [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1964452
Comments: 45
Kudos: 542





	Some Things Don't Change

**Author's Note:**

> My friend, when asked to give crack ideas: Turn someone into a kid. Bruce would be interesting.  
> Me: … big brain, yes, I can work with this
> 
> Also, Ceceism, how??? I wrote this _before_ your comment! (I wrote the other fic before your comment as well!) Am I this predictable or are you just really good with catching the vibes??

Dick made his way warily through the watchtower, clad in the Batman suit that he had not missed wearing.

Superman had told him to come. He had refused to give details.

“Superman?” Batman asked tentatively, as he stepped into the private medical room Superman had directed him to. He paused at the threshold, only taking a step in to let the door slide close and give them more privacy.

There was Superman, waving him over with a smile that wavered on concerned and amused. On the medical cot, there was… a young boy. Dick placed him at around four or five years old. His arms were crossed, hands hidden under the oversized clothing, blue eyes shining fiercely in a grumpy glare, almost hidden behind his black hair.

His first thought was Damian - they looked so alike. 

“Bruce?” Dick questioned incredulously. He was caught so off-guard that he forgot to mask his voice under a growl. Bruce, for his part, snapped his gaze towards him and broke out in the brightest grin he had ever seen.

“Dickie!” Bruce babbled happily, and belatedly clasped both hands over his mouth with a surprised blink. Dick smiled and tugged off his cowl, kneeling at eye level with the man in a child’s body.

“Yeah, it’s me, B,” Dick nodded. Bruce made an aborted motion, stretching his arms out towards Dick and just as quickly retracting them. Dick noted the action and pulled Bruce down off the cot, sweeping him into a careful hold, and Bruce went willingly.

He was small. A tiny, pudgy _bean_ that Dick could cradle in his arms. Dick hoped Oracle was recording this.

“What happened?” Dick questioned, standing up and eyeing Superman critically. “It’s an alien infection,” Superman volunteered with a slight grimace, “It’s harmless, other than reverting the infected body into a younger version of themselves. It’ll last for about twenty-four hours, and then it’ll be over.”

Dick nodded, gaze reverting back to Bruce, who had made himself comfortable in his arms. “Does he… remember anything?” Dick asked, “He seems to know who I am.”

“I’m right _here_ ,” Bruce whined, high-pitched and childish, and Dick fought down another smile tugging at his lips. “Alright, then what do you remember?” Dick shot back. Bruce’s face scrunched up in thought.

“I remember,” Bruce pouted, “But it’s… weird,” he flailed his arms, “If I focus, I can think normally, but, but,” Bruce huffed in annoyance, crossing his arms again, “But I’m acting like a kid.” Dick had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling. 

“The others did not see Bruce turning into a child,” Superman added on, “I can escort the both of you to the teleporters without witnesses, and Bruce can wait out the infection at home.”

Dick nodded at that, smiling kindly, “Thank you.” 

Clark returned the smile, “Just take care of your father, Dick.”

~

Tim was way out of his depth.

It became apparent that Bruce could only act like his normal adult self for so long before the behaviours and mannerisms of a child returned to him - sure, Tim did comfort children sometimes on patrol, but he had rehearsed what to say in such situations, knew exactly how to react to put the child at ease.

Bruce was lingering not-so-subtly at the doorway to his bedroom, just… watching him. Tim wondered if the man did something similar on normal days. Tim knew he could get absorbed in his work, sometimes, and even if he subconsciously registered Bruce’s gaze, it was Bruce. Bruce was safe.

This Bruce was still safe, of course, just… much less stealthy.

“Bruce?” Tim called, watching the small form jerk in the reflection on his laptop screen, “Is something wrong?”

“N-no,” came the squeaky response. Right before the silence could dip into a downright awkward pause, Bruce piped up again, “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” Tim agreed amiably, turning around to watch Bruce shuffle into the room. His eyes swept through the room with the maturity of an adult but the wonder of a child, his nose scrunching up as he looked up at the ceiling and seemed to gauge how much he had shrank.

Then his gaze landed on Tim’s laptop, and Tim suddenly understood where Damian’s scowls came from.

“You should be resting,” Bruce protested fiercely, crossing his arms with a frown, “You need to rest. You just came back from a mission!”

“I’m alright, B,” Tim smiled reassuringly, “I don’t feel tired."

Bruce’s frown deepened. “Timmy,” he whined, still managing to sound disappointed. Tim cringed, smiling sheepishly. His eyes widened when he saw the tell-tale sign of the child’s lips wobbling. 

Bruce scrubbed roughly at his eyes, trying to cover up the tears but failing to mute his sniffles. Tim froze for a long few moments, his mind going blank, before his brain slingshot back into orbit and he jumped off his chair to pull Bruce into a hug.

“S-sorry,” Bruce mumbled wetly into Tim’s shirt, “I worry ‘bout you. Y’work too hard.”

“I’m getting better about it,” Tim replied, guilt worming into his chest. He squeezed Bruce, “I try to take care of myself, Bruce, I do.”

Bruce sniffled again, and pudgy limbs wrapped around Tim’s chest. Tim counted to three minutes before trying to extract himself, but Bruce held on tight.

“Nuh-uh,” came the petty response, “Rest.” Tim thinks Bruce is smiling into his shirt. He sighed and rolled his eyes, though Bruce missed it, shifting the child's body into his arms and making sure his work was saved before moving towards his bed. 

~

Tim blinked awake to Dick taking photos of him with a grin. He glared at his brother and quietly unfolded himself from Bruce’s grip, much easier now that he was asleep.

“Any reason for your visit, other than blackmail?” Tim questioned sarcastically, stifling a yawn. To his surprise, Dick grinned, the expression he got when he had an idea his siblings were onboard for.

“The Flash, Wally West, called up just now. He’s coming down to the Batcave with Bart - apparently, both of their suits got messed up and started to affect their speed. They want to analyse their suits and bash brains here to try to solve the problem faster.”

Tim grinned. Oh, he was definitely onboard for this.

“Did you tell them Bruce is not around?” Tim questioned, already following Dick towards the Batcave entrance. “Yep,” Dick hummed with a grin, “Wally knows Richard as the other Batman, though - he doesn’t know it’s me. And I only mentioned that my brother might be around to help.”

The two brothers had barely entered the Batcave before the first beep sounded, signalling that the speedsters had entered Gotham. Tim only had time to hide and check that he looked normal, and not like a complete train-wreck, before the Batcave entrance was opening to let Bart and Wally in, wearing civilian clothes. 

Dick greeted them with a neutral expression and a voice that was edging into Batman territory, but not quite. It was enough of a difference to make Wally pull a face, but he soon moved towards the lab equipment without comment.

Bart stood pivoting in a circle as he took in the Batcave with an awed smile, before he sped off towards the edges of the cavern. He inspected the medbay, swiped a chocolate bar from the minifridge, and wandered into the section where they kept all their equipment. 

With all the recent publicity, they all had grown more carefree about leaving their respective suits visible - Tim’s suit was hung up on the side of the wall, with the gliding wings folded and facing outwards.

Bart reached out to touch the wing, and Tim grinned and dropped down right behind him.

“Careful,” Tim warned, smirking as Bart jumped and spun around with wide eyes, “Those things are a pain to reset, when you’re not wearing the suit.”

Bart gaped for a second, a long moment for a speedster. “Tim?” he yelped, his voice high and incredulous, “What- what are you doing here?”

Tim huffed, ignoring the sudden appearance of the other speedster behind him, “Preventing you from messing up my Gotham uniform, apparently.”

“Gotham-” Bart’s gaze flicked from the uniform back to Tim. “That’s yours,” he realised, and then, “You’re Batman’s kid?”

Tim snorted. “One of them,” he shrugged, and grinned, “Tim Drake-Wayne. Welcome to the Batcave, Bart.”

“Red Robin?” Wally questioned, and Tim gave a nod in his direction. For his part, Wally just sighed and ran a hand down his face.

Then he turned to Dick, looked him up and down, and deadpanned, “Dick. You asshole. You didn’t even bother to give hints, the first time I saw you in the Batsuit?”

At that, Dick broke Batman-character completely, smiling sheepishly and rocking back on his heels, “Sorry, Walls, but I wasn’t ready back then. We weren’t ready, back then.” He nodded pointedly at the other uniforms hung along the wall, Jason’s and Damian’s suits in particular.

Bart’s head swiveled between the two older Titans, before Tim nudged him and caught his attention. “Dick’s Nightwing,” he stated without preamble. Bart’s eyes bulged. 

“Your brother is Nightwing?” he whisper-yelled. 

“Who else should I know about?” Wally questioned, raising an eyebrow, “ ‘Cause if I’ve learnt anything about Bats, it’s that the guy’s less of a loner than he’s projecting. Besides, we all saw the video. There’s way too many of you, in my opinion.”

Dick met Tim’s eye, then, the two of them having a mental conversation through facial expressions and subtle hand gestures. “Guess,” Dick chirped after a short moment. 

“I’ll give you a hint,” Tim added when Wally’s face exuded “I am done with all of you” at Dick’s words, “Non-powered vigilantes.”

Wally paused, narrowed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Please don’t tell me Irey and Jai are hanging out with your little brother,” Wally mumbled. 

“That would be Damian,” Dick piped up helpfully, “You’d know him as David Fletcher. Canvas.”

Bart was gesturing inarticulately to Tim, while Wally sighed heavily.

“And last but not least?” Wally commented sarcastically.

“Red Hood,” Tim added, Bart stilling abruptly, “Jason.”

“Red Hood is your brother?” Bart squeaked, confusion written plainly on his face. Tim rolled his eyes, “Gosh, do I really have to explain the infiltration beat-down to everyone?”

“It’s a serious thing, Timmy,” Dick pointed out amusedly, “It’s a valid concern that you’re buddy-buddy with someone who, to everyone else, beat you up and left you for dead.”

Wally had started to pace back and forth, muttering underneath his breath too fast to comprehend. Tim sighed.

~

Bruce did not remember the last twenty-four hours. He knew what had happened, in the sense of Dick and Tim reporting the more important events - Clark calling Dick to the watchtower, Tim and Dick meeting Wally and Bart in the Batcave - but that was about it.

Bruce exited the Batcave after post-patrol casework to find Tim still typing something on his laptop, despite the late hour. He eased the door open and allowed the hinges to creak, alerting Tim to his presence.

“Bruce,” Tim yawned in acknowledgement, his fingers continuing to type steadily. 

“Timmy, it’s late,” Bruce murmured, resting his arm around Tim’s shoulders. He hummed, but he was still typing.

“Timmy,” Bruce repeated, more insistent this time. Tim’s typing stuttered, and he sighed, shifting until his face was buried in Bruce’s side.

Bruce gave him a few minutes before he bent down and scooped Tim into his arms. Tim still had a relatively small build, compared to Dick and Jason, and he easily steered them towards Tim’s bed.

“Mmm... stay?” Tim mumbled out, eyes fluttering slightly. “Alright,” Bruce hummed, brushing a hand over his hair. Tim sighed and curled closer.

**Author's Note:**

> [Gotham Needs a Batman](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26928556) is the first time Wally meets "Richard Grayson"!
> 
> So yes, I turned Bruce into a kid :D I couldn't resist


End file.
